2005-12-22 04:00:00 PDT Sacramento -- A federal judge on Thursday blocked a law banning the sale of violent video games to minors from going into effect on Jan. 1.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law earlier this year a bill by Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, that bans the sale or rental of especially violent video games to children under 18 years old unless there is parental approval.

U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte said the video game industry showed that they had a reasonable chance of winning their case based on the fact that the law violates the First Amendment rights of minors.

He also questioned whether there is evidence that violent video games cause violent behavior and therefore deserve to be regulated by the state.

"The plaintiffs have shown at least that serious questions are raised concerning the states' ability to restrict minors' First Amendment rights in connection with exposure to violent video games, including the question of whether there is a causal connection between access to such games and psychological or other harm to children," Whyte wrote in his decision.